Stoker mechanism



Nov. 24; 1931.

N. M. LOWER STOKER MECHANISM Original Filed June 14, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 24, 1931. N. M. LOWER STOKER MECHANISM original Filed Juhe 14, 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Quaint 09: %z6iia9z% 1021/87 j? M V pa e-a a... 24, 1931;

nurse 1!. LOWEB; or nhmrmonn, MARYLAND, nssieivonjnx mEs'Nn assmui lnn'rs, no man a'runmn-sroznn comm mo. or mw YORK, n. ma conrona'non-or DELAWARE 1 Application filed June 14, 1924, Seria1 1To..720,140. Renewed October 9; 1981. j

The principal object of the. invention is the provision of new and improvedstoker' mechanism for; conveying fuel from the tender to the locomotive. f

Other and further objects'and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive and its tender, shown more or less diagramparts broken away and partsmatically, with in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial section on line 22 of Fig. 1;'

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a slightly modified form of the agitating device; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

On the drawings, the reference character 1 designates a locomotive of any usual or well known construction and 2 the tender.

' therefor. The reference character 3 designates a stoker which may be of-any suitable construction, that shown being an improvement on thetype disclosed in my Patent No. 1,652,028 granted December 6, 1927, and comprises a trough 4 to the forward end of which is connected an elevator casing or conduit 5..

which extends forwardly and upwardly to an opening 6 in the back head 7 of the firebox 8 of the locomotive. The trough 4 is provided with the usual conveyor screw 9 for conveying the fuel from the tender along the trough 1 4 and forcing the same upward through the conduit or casing 5 onto the distributor plate 9.0 in front of the steam nozzle 10 which distributes the fuel over the grates of the firebox. A vane provid d with a forwardly extending portion 11 a d a rearwardly extending portion 12 pivotally mounted at the middle of the upper portion of the elevator and provided with a handle.13 for manually controlling the same is adapted to direct the fuel to either side of the distributor plate to trim the fire at either side of the firebox, as required.

Suitable means is provided in the elevator for agitating the-fuel in order to prevent sroxnn mncnmsia means of sprockets 15which are rigidly engaging said worm the same from becoming clogged or packed; while it is being forced upwardthroughthe elevator. As shown in'Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a

plurality of elevator bands or chains 14 are employed for this purpose. The chains 14 are arrangedto move upward on the floor. of the elevator 5 at each side thereof by mounted on the power shaft 16. The bands or chains 14 engage idler sprockets, 17 and 18 at the upper and lower end of the elevator respectively. The lower run of the bands orch'ains and the sprockets are protected by a suitable housing 19.

The conveyor screw 9 is operated by'a ino- Q tor 20 in any suitable manner. As shown, the screw conveyor 9 is driven from its front end by the shaft 21 thereof which extends through the casing1'4a and is provided with I a worm gear 22 protected by the housing 23. The motor 20 may be a rotary steamengine haying the'power shaft 16 journaled in the housing 23 and provided with a worm 25for q gear 22 foroperating the stoker.

The proportion of water used to the'fuel consumed in a locomotive, varies slightly I with different grades of fuel, but for all practical purposes with the average gradeof fuel and-water at a uniform temperature the ratio'may be considered as a fixed quantity. For this reason it isdesirable to operate the pump in timed relation with the stoker and in order to insure this movement the pump 25a is located adjacent to the motor 20..

A rotary pump preferably of the centrifugal type is employed. The pump is located on the rear of'the locomotive below the cab deck whereby the same is not only in convenient position to be operated from the stoker motor but is also an advantageous operating position for efficient operation since water may be supplied to the pump from the tank with little or no suction. The pump may be mounted on, or have its oper-.

'ating shaft connected to, the power shaft 16,

7 Water is supplied to the pump from the tank 27 through suit-able pipe and flexible hose connection'28, which may be provided with a valve 29 for regulating the supply of in ,Fig. 1.

In the operation of the device steam is admitted to the motor or engine through the i pipe 33a which operates the motor and I operating the elevator screw section.

shown, it IS operated by means of an annular through it operates both the stoker 3 and pump 25a for supplyingfuel and water to the locomotive. A valve 26a enables the fireman to regulate the supply of steam to the engine 20 to control the fuel and water supply to meet the locomotive requirements. I

While the power shaft 16 is shown and described as being operated by a rotary engine, it is understood that it may be'operated by any other type of engine or motor. A modified form of elevator is disclosed in Figs. 4 and, 5. In this construction, elevator mechanism such as the short screw section 34; is provided in the casing or conduit opening directly into said lower portion of the firing opening, a pressure fluid distributing means arranged in the lower portion of said firing opening to receive fuel directly from the upper end of said elevator casing, a conveyor screw in said transfer conduit for conducting fuel along said conduit and forcing the same upwardly through said elevator casing, and means separate and apart from said screw operatingwithin said elevator casing intermediate the ends thereof to prevent impacting of the fuel therein and to assist in advancing thefuel through the elevator casing to thedistributing means. 3 V J NATHAN ML LOWER.-

41 intermediate the ends thereof for assisting in conducting the fuel upwardly through said conduit or casing and to prevent the fuel from becoming packedor jammed. This screw performs the same function as the chains 14 heretofore described in connection with Fig. 3. Suitable means is provided fir s worm gear 35 rigidly connected to the screw 34 as by being connected atone side to the flight of the screw as at 36 and at the other to one or more standards 37 rigidl connected I to said screw; The periphery o the worm gear 35 is adapted to be received in a groove 38 formed by offsets in the meeting edges 39 and 40 of the two sections of the elevator casing 41. The worm gear 35 is operated from the worm 4 2 which is rotated through suitable fiexible gearing 43 from the power shaft 16. i

It will be understood that various changes in the form, size, construction, compositlon and arrangement of the several parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth.

- of the tender, a single substantially straight inclined elevator casing communicatively 

